The JCI European Conference 2022 (EC Bruges 2022) is the annual European congress of Junior Chamber International that JCI Belgium hosted from 8 to 11 June 2022 in Bruges. Organised by JCI Brugge and JCI Houtland, the four-day conference brought around 1,500 young leaders and entrepreneurs from across Europe to the Concertgebouw Brugge and the Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre (BMCC), under the theme “Food for Generations”, and marked JCI Belgium’s return to a large-scale in-person European event after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This page is for members who want to look back on one of the biggest projects in the history of JCI Belgium, for young entrepreneurs who are curious about what JCI does at European level, and for chapters that dream of hosting a conference themselves. New to JCI? Discover how JCI Belgium started, the national projects our members run and the upcoming events where you can experience JCI yourself.
JCI European Conference 2022 at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | Wednesday 8 – Saturday 11 June 2022 |
| Location | Bruges (West Flanders), Belgium |
| Venues | Concertgebouw Brugge and Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre (BMCC) |
| Host chapters | JCI Brugge and JCI Houtland, for JCI Belgium |
| Participants | Around 1.500 JCI members from across Europe (more than 2,000 were expected in the run-up) |
| Theme | Food for Generations |
| Conference director | Jonas Maes (JCI Brugge) |
| Preparation | More than two years, run by volunteers |
The JCI European Conference (EC) is the largest yearly JCI gathering in Europe. Members meet for trainings, keynotes, workshops, company visits and evening events, and each year a different national organisation hosts the conference. JCI is a worldwide network for young professionals and young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 40. In 2022, JCI Belgium was the host, and the conference remains one of the best-known examples of what the Belgian network can achieve together.
Why Bruges and why food?
The theme “Food for Generations” took on a global challenge: according to a United Nations report (2017) cited by the organisers, the world population is expected to grow from 7.8 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050, and food production would have to increase by around 50% to keep up. The theme also fitted Bruges and West Flanders, where many companies work in agriculture, fisheries and food processing, and it gave the conference a natural link with Belgian gastronomy.
JCI Brugge and JCI Houtland prepared the bid for two years together with Visit Bruges Convention Bureau. The team first presented its vision for a European Conference in Bruges at the conference in Lyon. Bruges welcomed the event as one of the first congresses in its new BMCC.
The programme: four days in a world heritage city
Opening ceremony at the Concertgebouw
The conference kicked off on Wednesday 8 June with an opening ceremony at the Concertgebouw Brugge, a venue with room for about 1,300 people. According to the official programme, the ceremony was followed by a keynote from Belgian chocolatier Dominique Persoone.
Training, workshops and company visits
The BMCC, in the heart of Bruges and within walking distance of the Concertgebouw, hosted the trainings and workshops. Delegates also visited local companies, and every evening offered a social programme.
Side programme: lace, bikes and a blind date
Beyond the official sessions, delegates could learn the basic strokes of Bruges lace-making, a craft that goes back to 1717, or cycle along the green ramparts to the medieval harbour towns of Damme and Oostkerke. JCI Mechelen organised the first real-life JCI blind date after three digital editions, and senators stayed at the exclusive Grand Hotel Casselbergh.
Two chapters, two years of volunteer work
Conference director Jonas Maes called the event the climax of “more than two years of preparatory work” by hard-working JCI members, done in close cooperation with the City of Bruges. It is a good illustration of how JCI works: a small team of volunteers, a big shared goal and a year of leadership growth along the way.
The legacy of EC Bruges 2022
JCI Belgium still uses the JCI European Conference 2022 as proof of how leadership multiplies: one project, many leaders and a lasting impact on the network. The JCI Belgium Foundation also lists the European Conference in Bruges among the projects it has supported. Curious how another JCI format brings entrepreneurs together? Read about the Business Blind Date of JCI Belgium.
Next European Conferences for young entrepreneurs
The European Conference has since travelled to Oulu in Finland (2024), Herning in Denmark (2025) and Málaga in Spain (2026). The next stop is The Hague from 2 to 5 June 2027. See all dates in the JCI Belgium events overview.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the JCI European Conference 2022?
The JCI European Conference 2022 took place from 8 to 11 June 2022 in Bruges, Belgium, at the Concertgebouw Brugge and the Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre (BMCC).
Who organised the JCI European Conference 2022?
JCI Brugge and JCI Houtland organised the conference on behalf of JCI Belgium, in close cooperation with the City of Bruges. Jonas Maes was the conference director.
What was the theme of the JCI European Conference 2022?
The theme was Food for Generations. It addressed the global food challenge described in a 2017 United Nations report, from hunger and food waste to sustainable production, and celebrated Belgian gastronomy.
How many people attended the JCI European Conference 2022?
Around 1,500 JCI members from across Europe attended. In the run-up, the organisers had expected more than 2,000 participants.
Where is the next JCI European Conference?
The JCI European Conference moved on to Oulu (2024), Herning (2025) and Málaga (2026). The next edition takes place from 2 to 5 June 2027 in The Hague, Netherlands.
Be part of the next European Conference
The JCI European Conference 2022 showed what two local chapters can do when they think big: a city, two venues and 1.500 young leaders from all over Europe. Want to experience a European Conference yourself? Become a member of JCI Belgium and join the Belgian delegation to The Hague in 2027.
